NeilSmith

Biography

Date of birth

Signed

Country

Smith’s youth career started off at London club Tottenham Hotspur in 1990 but after failing to break into the first-team, he signed for Division Two side Gillingham a year later.

He would remain a Gills player for the following six years, making over 200 starts and scoring 15 goals from midfield.

In 1997 Smith moved to Craven Cottage for a spell, making 72(+18) appearances and scoring against his old club Tottenham in the FA Cup of 1997/98.

A fee of £100,000 was paid for the midfielder’s expertise, the Royals drafting him in on 17th August 1999.

He made his debut four days later against Luton at Madejski Stadium, one of 42 appearances he’d go on to make that season.

His Royals career was split almost equally between starts and substitutions from the bench, and in his final season he achieved promotion with the club from Division Two as we finished in second place behind Brighton & Hove Albion.

It was to be Smith’s final contribution in a hooped shirt, progressing to a very brief spell at Stevenage prior to joining Conference Premier Side Woking in October 2002.

On arrival at the Kingfield Stadium he helped the club stave of relegation, becoming a regular he made over 130 appearances before taking over as the clubs caretaker manager in 2007.

Upon the arrival of a permanent manager, Smith left to sign for Bromley before calling time on his playing career where he made 501(+126) appearances across a 17 year stint.